Sliding door mounting device



June 10, 1952 A. cRAlGoN 2,599,747

SLIDING DOOR MOUNTING DEVICE Filed May 18, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. CRAIGON SLIDING DOOR MOUNTING DEVICE June 10, 1952 Filed May 18, 1949 June l0, 1952 A CRAIGQN SLIDING DOOR MOUNTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 18, 1949 Patented June l0, ,1952

sLiDING Doon. MOUNT-ING DEVICE Adam Craigon, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, yassignor to Margison and Babcock, Toronto, On'- tario, Canada Application May 18, 1949, Serial No. 93,863 In Canada May 3, 1949 7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a mounting 'device for sliding doors and more particularly to doors adapted for use in aircraft hangars where large heavy panels must be moved to accommodate passage of large aircraft.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide means for shielding the moving parts of the door mounting from dirt, rain, snow and the like'.

It is also a principal object of the invention to provide a sliding door which will function efflciently throughout the extremes of weather conditions encountered in, say, the North American continent.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means whereby a door panel may be moved by equal lforces applied along opposed edges of the Panel, thus avoiding the tendency to binding which is associated with the acceleration and deceleration of heavy doors which are driven by a force applied along one edge only.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of heating means and blow-out means associated with the means for supporting and drivingr the door panel.

With these and other objects in view my invention generally comprises a mounting device for a sliding door which includes in combination, at least one panel, a housing having a longitudinally extending slot, supporting means within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot, means disposed between the supporting means and the slot for Occluding dirt and ice, snow, rain and the like, from the interior of the housing, and web means extending from the supporting means through the Occluding means and the 'slot to mount said door panel.

'Other objects of the invention will be apparent after a study of the following detailed specication and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of 'the invention in its broadest aspect.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a vertically disposed door panel mounted above and below in 'accordance with one modification of my invention.

Figure 3 is a partial elevational view on an enlarged scale of the lower mounting of one of the panels'shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View on an enlarg'd scale taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 5--5'of Figure 2.

"Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are modifications of the 2 invention which schematicallyv show a group of door panels mounted according to the invention in several different arrangements which serve to open or close wide doorways.

In Figure 1, which has been provided to show the broadest aspect of the invention, reference character A represents an edge portion of a door panel; B represents a housing having'. a longitudinally extending slot C; D a 'support means slid= able within housing B; E a carrier rigidly secured to support means B and to panel portionA; and

. F represents an Occluding means mounted upon carrier E adjacent slot C. Occlusive means F, support means D, and carrier E have been shown as secured in unit form by means of rivets G. Nut and bolt means H have been shown as securing the carrier E to the panel portion A. It will be apparent that many forms of securement could be substitutedboth for rivets G and nut'a'rid Ibolt means H. Occluding means-F may take the form of a flexible belt, and this flexible belt may additionally function as a drive means whereby the supporting 'means may be slid within 1the housing B and the door panel moved in parallel relation to the slot C. Occluding means F should be substantially twice as long as the panel, in order that it may be employed to block the slot C when the panel has been withdrawn fromith'e normal closed position.

Referring to Figures 2 to 5 reference numeral I0 represents a door panel which is slidably mounted in an upper housing' II and a Alower housing I2. Each housing consists essentially of two parallel spaced apart channel members I3 set apart by means of an I-beam I4. Sections of weatherstripping I5 are mounted at each side of channel members I3, leaving a slot 15a; therebetween. vSlot I5a extends longitudinally along housings II and I2. A track I6 is rigidly secured by welding as at I'I to the bases of the channel members I3 vadjacent the upper and lower edges of the panel I0. The opposed upper and lower edges of panel I0 are slidably mounted on tracks AI6 by means of a series of bracket members I8, each of the brackets having a web means I9 extending therefrom and rigidly secured to panel I0 by nut and bolt means 20 and a pair of arms -2I extending from the bracket I8 on the side remote from the web means. A flanged carriage wheel 22 is rotatably mounted between said arms `by means of an axle 23. Carriage wheelsZ-Z ride upon track-s I6.

At opposed endsof upper housing I I sprockets are mounted. One of these Asrn'ockets (24) Ais an idler sprocket, lthe other sprocket (25) Ya dri-ven 3 sprocket. An idler sprocket 26 and a driven sprocket 21 are similarly disposed in lower hous- Ying I2. A link chain 28 is mounted upon sprockets 24 and 25 and a link chain 23 is mounted upon sprockets 26 and 21. Alternate links 30 of link chain 29 are secured over a portion of the length of this chain to the sides of brackets I8 remote from web means I9. Flexible occlusive belts 28a and. 29a are exteriorly mounted upon link chains 28 and 29 respectively. Where the. link chains 28 and 29 are secured to the brackets I8, the occlusive belts rest upon the sides of the brackets I8 V4from which the web means I9 extend, and the belts are slotted for the passage of the web means therethrough.

Web means I8 are secured to the lower edge of the door panel in the following manner. The edge 3| of the panel IIJ is constructed of wood which is slotted centrally and longitudinally as at 32. A U-shaped channel member 33 is secured to wooden edge 3I by screws 312. Channel member 33 has a slot 35 which is aligned with slot 32. Two substantially L-shaped members 36 are rigidly secured toy channel member 33 by bolts 37. The space between the two L-shaped members 36 constitutes a slot which is a continuation of slots 32 and 35. Web means I9 extends within these slots. Rubber weatherstripping 38 is exteriorly mounted on L-shaped members 35, and the web means i9, L-shaped members 38, and weatherstripping 38, are drawn together by nut and bolt means 25, in which the bolt passes through the several elements. The web means I9 Yis secured to the upper edge of the door in y the same manner, with the exception that where the bolt passes through the web means, an elongatedv vertical slot 39a is provided in the web means to facilitate any vertical adjustment of the web relative to panel necessitated by building truss sag or deflection.

A motorized gear speed Areducer il is rigidly mounted within the hangar adjacent the edge of the doorway. A rotating shaft l, having a bevel gear 4:2, drives aligned shafts 53 and lll through .bevel gears IE and 46 respectively. Gears lll and 58 on shafts 43 and 45 respectively drive sprockets 25 Yand 2l respectively. The gearing is so arranged that link chains 28 and 29 are given similar linear velocities whereby chainsV 28 and 29 drive the door panel from above and below with equal force.

Within the channel members I3, perforated tubes 49 are mounted, preferably by welding. These tubes 49 may be manifolded outside the housings whereby high pressure steam, compressed air, anti-freeze uids, and lubricant may be blown through the perfcrations onto the elements within the housings, either to remove dirt therefrom or to enable them to function at low temperatures.

Heating tubes 33a are mounted in conjunction with the channels I3. Tubes 59a are preferably radiant heating tubes, but might of course be any other conventional heating tube, e. g, air. The provision oi tubes 48a enables the door of my invention to be eectively employed in northern latitudes.

Figure 6 schematically shows a sliding door which six door panels 55 are mounted according to the invention. Each panel 5tlis slidably mounted in upper and lower slotted housings which extend between and terminate within pockets 5I and 52 at each side of the doorway. Driven sprockets or sheaves 53 are rotatably mounted at one side of the doorway and idler sprockets or sheaves 54 are rotatably mounted at the other side of the doorway. A flexible drive means 55 is mounted upon an aligned pair of sprockets or sheaves 53 andV 54, and is disposed within each housing. Each of the flexible drive means 55, inthe lower housings, is secured to the bottom of a panel 50, and each of those in the upper housings is secured to the top of a panel 5U. With this arrangement any panel 55 may be withdrawn into either pocket 5I or pocket 52, or driven to any desired intermediate position.

Figure 7 schematically illustrates a sliding door in which six panels 5B areV mounted according to the invention. The centralY panels abut one another. The panels to the right of centre are slidably mounted in three upper and three lower slotted housings which terminate within a pocket 5l. Of the three sets of upper and lower housings; the rst extends outwardly from the pocket substantially one door width; the second, two door widths; and the third, three door widths. Driven sprockets or sheaves 58 and idler sprockets or sheaves 53 are rotatably mounted at opposite ends of the housings. A flexible Vdrive means 63 is mounted upon an aligned pair of sprockets or sheaves 53 and 59 and disposed within each housing. Flexible drive means '6B are secured to panels 56 in the same manner as described in connection with drive .means 55 and panels 5t. The structure on the left of the centre line is identical Yto that on the right, and the elements ,corresponding to elements 51, 58, 59 and 65 have been numbered 57a, 58a, 59a and 65a, respectively, in the drawing.

Figure 8 schematically illustrates a sliding door having six panels 6I mounted inY accordance with the invention. This particular arrangement diifers from that described in connection with Figure 7, in that centrally disposed idlers B2 and 52a are employed inplace of idlers 5 and 53a.

It will be appreciated that by controlling the linear velocities of the flexible drive means in Figure 7 and Figure 8, the panels 56 and 5I may be driven individually, or in unison at uniform speed, or at a three-gang differential speed'which would bring about simultaneous pocketing of the panels.

Figure 9 schematically illustrates an arrangement which is generally similar to that of` Figure 8, with the exception that live panels 63. are employed in pla-ce oi the six panels 5I, and the central member of the group of Viive panels 63 is mounted so as to Vtake up any position from the extreme of pocket 5l to the extreme of pocket Sla. With this arrangement, either outermOSt Sprocket 5,3 or 5cc would bean idier.

Sprocket,

I prefer to provide bumpers to limit the run of each door panel and, where an electrical power source is employed to actuate the drive means, conventional limit switchesmay also be employed to limit the run of a panel.

I also prefer to employ, vin'conjunction with each door panel, an automatic brake. An example oi a suitable brake which could be ems ployed when the drive is electrical would be a solenoid operated device which would bein an inoperative position as long as current was being supplied to the electric motor, and is urged into an operative position by a v,suitable spring when; ever the solenoid is de-energizedvby the cessation of current flow to the electric motor. l

While certain embodiments of Vthe invention have been disclosed, it is to be understoodthat 5 the invention may be carried out in a number oi.' ways. the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and modications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A mounting device for a sliding door panel and comprising in combination: a housing having cop1anar spaced apart flanges forming a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; supporting means within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot; occluding means disposed between the supporting means and the slot and slidably engaging surfaces of said flanges, being in the form of a flexible belt which additionally functions as a means whereby the supporting means in the door panel may be moved; and web means extending from the support means through the occluding means and the slot to mount said door panel.

2. A door panel mounting device, comprising in combination: a housing having cop1anar spaced apart anges forming a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; supporting means within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot; means disposed between the supporting means and the slot and slidably engaging surfaces of said ilanges for occluding dirt, ice, snow,

rain, and the like from the interior of the housing; Web means extending from the supporting means through the occluding means and the slot to mount said door panel; a driven sprocket and an idler sprocket mounted within said housing;

and a flexible chain mounted upon said sprockets,

said iiexible chain being secured to said occluding means and to said supporting means whereby said door panel is driven in parallel relationship to said slot as said driven sprocket is rotated.

3. A door panel mounting device comprising in combination: a housing having cop1anar spaced apart flanges forming a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; supporting means including brackets disposed within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot; a series of wheels rotatably mounted in said brackets; means disposed between the supporting means and the slot and slidably engaging surfaces of said anges for occluding dirt, ice, snow. rain, and the like from the interior of the housing; means securing said occluding means to said brackets on the side remote from said walls; web means extending from the supporting means through the occluding means and the slot to mount said door panel; and

slots in said occluding means adapted for the passage of said web means therethrough.

4. A door panel mounting device comprising in combination: a housing having cop1anar spaced apart flanges forming a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; supporting means including brackets disposed within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot;a series of wheels rotatably mounted in said brackets; means disposed between the supporting means and the This application is not to be limited byl slot and slidably engaging surfaces of said flanges for occluding dirt, ice, snow, rain, and the like from the interior of the housing; means securing said occluding means to said brackets on the side remote from said Walls; web means extending from the supporting means through the occluding means and the slot to mount said door panel; slots in said occluding means adapted for the passage of said web means therethrough; and a track rigidly mounted in said housing in parallel spaced apart relationship to said slot, said wheels riding on said track.

5. A door panel mounting device, comprising in combination: a housing having cop1anar spaced apart flanges forming a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; supporting means within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot; means disposed between the supporting means and the slot and slidably engaging surfaces of said flanges for occluding dirt, ice, snow, rain, and the like from the interior of the housing; web means extending from the supporting means through the occluding means and the slot to mount said door panel; and perforated blowout tubes disposed within said housing.

6. A door panel mounting device, comprising in combination: a housing hviang cop1anar spaced apart iianges forming a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; supporting means within the housing and slidable in parallel relation to said slot; means disposed between the supporting means and the slot and slidably engaging surto mount said door panel; and heating tubes mounted in conjunction with said housing.

7. A door panel mounting device comprising the combination of: at least one panel, two housings, a longitudinally extending slot in each of said housings, supporting means within each of said housings, said supporting means being slidable in parallel relation to said slots, means in the form of flexible belts disposed between said supporting means and said slots for occluding dirt, ice, snow, rain, and the like from the interiors of said housings, and web means extending from each of the supporting means through the adjacent nexible belt and slot to mount an opposed edge of said door panel.

ADAM CRAIGON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,055,156 Fitzgerald Mar. 4, 1913 1,111,634 Adams et al Sept. 22, 1914 2,334,981 Ackley Nov. 23, 1943 2,425,016 Weaver Aug. 5, 1947 

